Today, March 16, the health officer of the City and County of San Francisco issued a Shelter in Place Order, directing residents to stay at home except for essential services and business, effective March 17, 2020, through April 7, 2020.

Here is how this new Public Health Order affects our parks:

During the shutdown, we will continue to provide emergency childcare services at all of our recreation centers, subject to eligibility requirements.

The following park facilities are closed:

Golf courses

Swimming pools

Angler’s Lodge (Golden Gate Park)

Lawn Bowling Club (Golden Gate Park)

Model Yacht Club (Golden Gate Park)

Disc Golf (Golden Gate Park)

Ornamental Gardens, including the SF Botanical Garden, Conservatory of Flowers and the Japanese Tea Garden (Golden Gate Park)

Coit Tower

Stow Lake Boat Rentals, Bike Rentals and Segway Rentals

Carousel (Golden Gate Park)

Sharon Art Studio (Golden Gate Park)

All regular recreation programs remain suspended, including all citywide senior programs and SFYBL games and practices. Summer day camp registration, originally scheduled for March 21, is postponed to a date to be determined.

All indoor permits and athletic field permits through March 31 are cancelled. Additionally, no new permits will be issued until the situation stabilizes. If you need to reach staff about cancelling or refunding a reservation, please email RPDReservations@sfgov.org.

All community meetings and volunteer events are also cancelled until further notice.

All other parks, trails and open spaces remain open at this time, however, you are encouraged to exercise and get outside subject to DPH guidance around social distancing.

Your Health and Safety are Our Priority
We are saddened that these impacts directly affect your enjoyment of our parks and programs, particularly because so many of our facilities serve as important neighborhood hubs and provide valuable services to our residents. However, the health and safety of our park users is our top priority, and adhering to the Shelter in Place order will hopefully help stem the spread of the virus.

Do Your Share to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19
Remember, the best ways to reduce risk of getting sick, as with seasonal colds or the flu, still applies to prevent COVID-19:

Practice social distancing.

Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Cover your cough or sneeze.

Stay home if you are sick.

Avoid touching your face.

Try alternatives to shaking hands, like an elbow bump or wave.

If you have recently returned from a country, state or region with ongoing COVID-19 infections, monitor your health and follow the instructions of public health officials.

There is no recommendation to wear masks at this time to prevent yourself from getting sick.

We encourage you to stay informed on the coronavirus by texting COVID19SF to 888-777.